1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a corn stalk guide attachment for corn headers and more specifically it relates to a corn stalk guide system for reducing or eliminating the loss of corn stalks as they are guided into the grab rolls of a corn header.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Corn headers have been used for many years in harvesting corn. Corn is gathered by use of a corn header attachment for a combine or other vehicle. As the corn header traverses the crop, corn stalks will enter the corn header teeth and be guided to gathering chains and then to grab rollers, which collect and transfer the corn stalks to a storage area.
Often, in existing corn header designs, the sprocket which transfers force to the gathering chains will abut out from the teeth of the corn header. When a corn stalk contacts the exposed sprocket and chain, the stalk can shake so hard that it can lose the corn cob. The corn can then fall forward and out of the corn header. This problem is made worse when the combine follows curved rows of crop. The stalks can hit the exposed sprocket and fall forward out of the corn header.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved corn stalk guide system for reducing or eliminating the loss of corn stalks as they are guided into the grab rolls of a corn header.